Tappet-valve mechanism for internal-combustion engines



Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

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EMIL A. NELSON, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO E. A. NELSON AUTOMOBILE COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

TAPPET-VALVE MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES.

Application filed July 19, 1918.

1 the accompanying drawings.

In Patent No. 1,247,318, granted Nov. 20, 1917, there is disclosed a cylinder head having tappet valves for the inlet and exhaust cylinder ports of an engine, said valves be- 15 ing actuated by a cam shaft, and particular attention has been directed to the lubricat ing of the valve stems, valve stem caps or sleeve members, and other features. By reference to Figs. 1 and 2, of the patent it will be observed that the caps or sleeve members are interposed between the cam shaft and upper ends of the valve stems, and it is in connection with these caps or sleeve members that I have devised a novel adjustment for the tappet valves. Such adjustment is necessary, from time to time, for various reasons, principally, to compensate for the wear of the cam shaft and the caps or sleeves; the grinding of valve seats, and manufacturing inequalities.

The adjusting means which I employ comprises two forms of keys or pins which are disposed between the valve stems and the caps or sleeve members, one form of key or pin having a plurality of facets either of which may be presented to the valve stem by partial rotation or resetting of the key 01-pin. The other form of key or pin may be considered as having two sets of facets and by reciprocating and rotating the key or pin twice the number of adjustments can be had as with the first mentioned form of key or pin.

My invention will be better understood when reference is had to the drawing and the description thereof, and when describing myinvention it is to be noted that while a special form of cylinder head has been shown, it isto be understood that the valve adjusting meansis applicable to any engine having cam actuated valve stems.

In thedrawings,

Figure 1 is a transverse vertical sectional view of an engine having a tappet valve and Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 23, 1921.

Serial No. 245,739.

valve adjusting means in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of a portion of the cylinder head,

Fig. 1 shows different views of a single key or pin, in plan, and

ig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal sectional view of a cap or sleeve member provided with a modified form of key or pin.

In the drawing, the reference numeral 1 denotes a portion of a cylinder or cylinder block and suitably mounted on the top of the cylinder or cylinder block is acylinderheadQ having inlet and exhaust ports 8 and 4 adapted to communicate with the cylinder or cylinders of the block. The cylinder head 2 is formed. with vertical guides 5 for valve stems 6 of valves 7, said valves controlling the communication of the engine cylinders with the inlet and exhaust ports 3 and a.

8 denotes a seat at the top of the cylinder head 2 and said seat is formed with a longitudinal lubricant channel or well 9 into which extends the upper end of the valve stem guides 5.

10 denotes a cam shaft housing suitably mounted on the seat 8 of the cylinder head 2, said housing having tubular guideways 11 with the lower ends thereof communicating with the lubricant channel 9 and the upper ends thereof communicating with a cam shaft chamber 12 in the housing 10.

13 denotes a cap or sleeve member slidable in the tubular guideway 11 of the housing 10, said cap having a convex or semispherical upper end 14 normally engaged by a cam 15 forming part of the cam shaft 16 journaled in and disposed longitudinally of the chamber [2 of the housing 10. Each cap or sleeve member 13 has its lower end open to communicate with the lubricant channel 9 and provide clearance for the upper end of the valve stem 6, said valve stem having its upper end provided with an annular groove 17 for a split retaining ring 18. The split retaining ring 18 is employed tohold an inverted cup shaped spring abutting lutions of the expansion'spring 2O encircle a thimble 21 made to fit on the upper end of the guide 5 within the lubricant channel 9 and snugly embrace the valve stem 6, said thimble preventing. an excessive flow of lubricant from, the channel .9 through the gtlxlide 5 into the cylinder of the engine. The

t imble 21 also supports the lower convolution of the expansion spring 19 and the expansive force of said spring is sutlicient to maintain said valve normally closed.

22 denotes a key or pin" disposed transversely of the cap or sleeve member 13, said key or pin having its outer end extending into a slot 23 rovided therefor in the housing 10,'saids 0t and the chamber 12 being normall closed by a detachable side plate 24 whic also serves to hold the pin against longitudinal disengagement from the holes provided therefor in the sleeve. The key or pin .22 is formed with a pluralit of facets 25., asbest shown in Fig. 4, an the upper endflofthe valve stem 6 is adapted tosnu lyfengage one of the .r'acets so that througla the medinm of said in, the upper en'dof the cap or sleeve 13 W1 1 be normally held in, engagement with the pin 15, and consequently the said cam. may open the valve 6., J. V

Considering'the axis of the key or pin 22 the facets 25. are formed in planes at right-angle to each other and with the facet .planes atdifierent distances from the axis ofthe keyorpin. .F or instance, one facet maybe lflush with the side wall of the key,

another facet set in two-thousandths of an- .motion and apropercosaction between said el" ents .to. insure proper seating .of the vad i e land. roper actuation. of said valve bylhe 'camfs aft. ;-.The key or pin permits of the, clearance betweenthe cam and cap being .regulated, and such adjustment can be easily accomplished when the detachable side plate a is removed, which removal also gives s esaw the cam chamber, cap, spr nga1andva1vetems for, adjustment, re-

la 'ent or Jr...

. 5,,thereis illustrated a modified forinoff fey or'pin26, as having two. sets ofjace ts 2Zand. 2 8,-eith er of which may be placed, inoperative relation to avalve stem y turningv efl ke ..or pin end for end. Turning end} r en and partial rotationof the key orn ember 26 permits of practically guidell into the channel 9.

twice the number of adjustments as is possible with the key orpin 22.

In my former patent previously referred to, it will be noted that the cap or sleeve member had a longitudinal groove with a pin extending therein to prevent the cap or sleeve member from rotating and it was found that such construction had certain disadvantages. Now, with the present con struction the pin and groove are eliminated as the outer end of the key 22, extending into the slot 23, prevents rotation of the cap or sleeve member 13 as the key fits snugly in openings in the sleeve with its outer end sliding freely in the slot 23 to prevent rotation of'said sleeve, it is impossible for lubricant from the cam chamber 12 to enter the cap except by working downward between the outer surface thereof and its What I claim is 1. As a new article of manufacture, a tappet valve adjusting member having facets at different distances from the axis of said member adapted to be engaged by a valve operating member.

2. The combination of a valve stem, means adapted to reciprocate said stem, and adj ustable means interposed between said valve stem andits reciprocating means, said adjustable means having a plurality of facets and being adapted to be adjusted to present any one of said facets to said reciprocating means for regulating the movement of said valve stem. a

3. The combination of a valve stem, a ca inclosing an end of said valve stem, an ad j ustable key carried bysaid cap and having a plurality of facets elther of which may be engaged, by said valve stem, means in said cap maintaining said valve stem normally in engagement with said-facets, and means outside of said cap and in engagement therewith adapted to move said valve stem in one direction. 1

4. The combination with a c linder head having a valve-stem extending t erethrough', of a housing on said cylinder headand provided with a guideway in which said valve stemextends, ,a "cap reciprocable in the 115 guideway of said housing, a non-rotatable member carried by. said cap and having facets, said member being adjustable to bring any one of its facets into operative relation to said stem, means in said cap'main- 120 taining said valve stem normally in engagement with said member and adapted town said valve stem in one direction, and means in said housing engaging said ca" and adapted to move said valve stem in the opposite direction.

5." The combination with a c linder head having a valve stem extending emthrough, of a housing on said cylinder head and provided with a tubular guideway and a slot, at

tubular cap slidable in the guideway of said housing, a key in said tubular cap extending into the slot of said housing to prevent rotation of said tubular cap, means in said tubular cap maintaining said valve stem normally in engagement with said key, and means in said housing engaging said ca adapted to move said valve stem in one direction.

6. The combination of a housing, a valve stem extending therein, a reciprocable tubular cap in said housing, and a key in said cap engaged by said valve stem and having an end extending into said housing to prevent rotation o-f said reciprocable cap.

7. The combination of a housing having a guideway and a slot, a valve stem extending into the guideway, a reciprocable tubular cap for the valve stem in said guideway, and an adjusting member extending transversely of said cap to be engaged by said sleeve and extending into said slot to be removed endwise through the slot,

8. The combination of a housing having an open side, a guideway and a slot in the wall of the guideway at the open side of said housing, a. cap reciprocable in the guideway, a cam in the housing to engage the cap, a valve stem extending into the cap, a key extending transversely of the cap in engagement with the valve stem with one end of said key engaging the slot in the housing,

and a plate to close the open side of the housing and the slot.

9. The combination of a housing having an open side, a guideway and a slot in the wall of the guideway at the open side of said housing, a cap reciprocable in the guideway, a. cam in the housing to engage the cap, a valve stem extending into the cap, a member carried by the cap and having facets to be engaged by the stem, said member extending into said slot to prevent rotation of the cap, and means for closing the open side of the housing and preventing removal of said member through said slot.

10. The combination of a valve stem, a cap inclosing an end of the valve stem; a cam to engage and operate the cap, a key extending transversely of the cap and held against rotation thereby, said key being endwise removable and provided with facets at difierent distances from its longitudinal axis to be brought into operative relation with the valve stem by a removal and repositioning of said key, and means for preventing endwise disengagement of the key from the cap.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

EMIL A. NELSON.

Witnesses:

ANNA M. Donn, KARL H. BUTLER. 

